Rose's Song
by Hope Elizabeth
Summary: My interpretation of The Doctor and River Song's relationship how it began .


CHAPTER ONE

"Rose Tyler?" A small, ruddy haired woman in her mid-30's raised her head sharply, the magazine she'd been absentmindedly leafing through falling to the floor. She reached down with hand that was quivering slightly, grabbed the wrinkled bunch of pages and tossed them hastily onto the chair beside her. Rose stood and offered the nurse a half smile as she passed by her into the hallway beyond. The nurse, ignoring Rose's grin, led her into the first available waiting room, positioned her on the examination table, placed her chart on the cheap particular board desk and mentioned, as the door was closing, that the doctor would be in shortly. Rose adjusted herself awkwardly on the paper-covered table, the sharp edges digging into the backs of her legs, the thin paper tearing as she moved. She was nervous, her hands were shaking and her heart was beating an unfamiliar rhythm in her chest.

Before she had time to truly panic, however, the door opened and a kind-faced elderly doctor in a heavily starched white coat took his place on the stool just opposite to where Rose sat waiting. His face was calming but Rose saw worry in his eyes and she knew, before he spoke, exactly what he was going to say.

"Ms. Tyler," he began, his fingers absentmindedly running back and forth over the smooth edges of her medical file. "We did the tests I told you about and I'm afraid that my worst suspicions were confirmed. The mass in your brain is indeed malignant, very aggressive, and inoperable I'm afraid." Rose was almost relieved to know the truth. The weeks of waiting to hear what she already knew to be true removed the weight of speculation from her mind. Her friends, her mother, Pete, they all told her that it was nothing to worry about…but she knew better…and now here was the proof.

"How long?" The words escaped before she even thought to speak them. It was a natural question and one she needed to know. The doctor adjusted himself, folding his hands between his knees and looking down.

"A few weeks, a month, maybe a little bit more. Not much time at all I'm afraid." Rose sighed, expanding her diaphragm and taking a cleansing breath. The doctor, uneasy with this topic of conversation, avoided her gaze and opened her file, feigning intricate concentration. "There are options you know, hospice care, a full-time care facility, all covered by NHS of course." Rose stood abruptly.

"No. I'm just…I'm just going to go home. My mum and my dad, they'll want me there I think…give me a chance to say goodbye." The doctor smiled a sad smile, then he stood also, placing a gentle hand on Rose's arm.

"I'm so sorry." Rose laughed…and without another word, she walked out.

CHAPTER TWO

The walk back to her flat was sweet and slow. The people passed by as if in slow motion. Rose paid them little mind. The world seemed vacant. The real truth was, the world had seemed vacant ever since that fateful day so many years ago. She still remembered, with vivid clarity, the smell of salt water, the feel of stray sand as it blew onto her face, the horrible sound of a beloved blue box fading into time and space. The world, a world that was not her own, had never regained the clarity and life it had once possessed. Like a giant coloring book, the world existed in outlines, the colors not yet applied, one dimensional and lifeless.

The last eight years had passed without incident. The relationship between herself and the other doctor had dissolved months after it had begun. His personality began to alter the longer he was away from the TARDIS. The part of him that belonged to the original Doctor dissolved and before long, he grew dissatisfied and left her, without a goodbye. She couldn't blame him. It must be hard living in someone else's shadow. She hoped for nothing more than his happiness. She had eventually moved out of her mum's flat, renting a place of her own a few doors over. She liked the closeness she shared with her mum, she liked watching Tony grow up and being the doting big sister, but she was different now, more grown up, and the dependency she used to experience had long since passed.

Her job at Torchwood continued as it had before. But her goal was no longer to find the Doctor and eventually, her eyes stopped searching the skies for the familiar blue box. Extraterrestrial negotiations and first contacts occurred more frequently. Rose's experience and service earned a place of influence and respect within the establishment. Her hand was often the first one extended when a new species contacted the earth. Before long, it became a job, nothing more. There was no excitement, no joy, just routine and efficiency. The Rose that had traveled with the Doctor, the Rose that had fought by his side, the Rose that kept him going when times seemed at their worst, had died on that beach 8 years earlier.

Rose could have easily continued straight home with her eyes unfocused and her mind a mess of questions had she not been distracted by a sparkling light out of the corner of her eye. At first she ignored it, her inner musings too powerful to be disturbed. But when the light, a bit brighter now, tugged again at the corner of her eye, she was forced to turn. She found herself standing outside a shop window. The sign above the door read "Antiques" in faded red lettering. The window display was full of rusted cutlery, a faded framed photo of a penny farthing, a fancy brass blower, and a strange looking pocket watch. Rose's eyes were immediately drawn to the latter. The sun appeared to catch the shiny brass plating, giving it the appearance of sparkle and light. The concept of time had new meaning to Rose and this watch suddenly had her mesmerized. Without thought, Rose pushed open the shop door and approached the counter. The employee, a young man in his teens, orange hair and a huge silver stud through his lower lip, was leafing through a copy of some indistinguishable Manga comic book. Rose coughed and the boy looked up.

"I saw a watch, in the window there and I was wondering about the price." Truth be told, Rose cared little about the price. The purchase was made before she entered the shop. The boy gave an irritated sigh, closed his book, and walked to the window display. He picked up the watch and read the small white sticker that had been placed on the back cover.

"It'll cost you a tenner." Rose nodded.

"I'll take it." The boy walked back to his post and began to ring up the purchase.

"It's rubbish really," he sputtered, his speech obscured by the metal in his mouth. "Not even worth a shilling. It's tarnished and it doesn't work. Yer wasting your quid." Rose found herself smiling.

"Doesn't matter," she replied. "I don't have much use for money…or time." The boy looked up, giving her an odd and slightly confused look as he placed the watch in a generic plastic bag. Rose reached in her pocket, pulled out the first bill she found, which turned out to be a twenty pound note, and laid it gently on the counter. "Keep the change." She grabbed the bag and exited the shop. She didn't look at the watch. She didn't even look in the bag. She simply walked the two miles back to her flat.

When she arrived, Rose opened the front door and walked directly to her bedside table. Rose opened the top drawer of her bedside table, placed the package inside, and then closed it again. For now, she was content just knowing the watch was there. Somehow, the idea of having a watch that was locked in time soothed her. Then, without a word, she lay down on her bed, pulled her pillow under her cheek and fell into a dreamless, restless slumber.

CHAPTER THREE

The next few weeks passed by much too quickly. Rose made her peace with those she loved; her mum, Pete, even little Tony. She found herself aching for Mickey, if only to say her goodbyes, to let him know how much he had meant to her. But she had told everyone she could that she loved them, that it was alright, that this was how it was meant to be all along…even if she didn't believe the last bit herself.

One morning, Rose found herself awake and unable to sleep. Her heart seemed to stammer, like an old worn out machine. Restless, she decided to go for a walk. She was lacing up her trainers, ready to walk out the door when a strange idea attached itself to the edges of her thoughts. Without thinking, and not knowing why, Rose opened her bedside drawer, a drawer she hadn't touched in almost a month, grabbed the bag with the pocket watch, receipt still inside, and stuffed it hastily in the pocket of her jacket. The London air was cool, even for August, and a thick mist hung like a shroud in the sky. Rose shivered violently and kept walking, unable to shake the foreboding feeling that hung about her shoulders. Before long she found herself approaching the Thames, the London Eye glowing from its place across the water on the South Bank. Rose approached a nearby wall and leaned onto her arms, taking in the glowing city of London while it was still silent and still. A few buses were running, shops beginning to open, people starting their day with Starbucks and pastries. But there was a hush that existed, a quiet that you only experience in the early hours of the morning. Rose relished the peace.

It took Rose a few moments, but as she gazed across the water, her mind traveled back 11 years, when on a bank that looked just like this one, in a universe parallel but so very far away from her own, she and the Doctor had fought together, side by side, destroying the Nestene Consciousness and forming an alliance that would change her life completely. And now, here she was, back where they had started, breathing what was likely her last few breathes. Allowing herself to dwell in nostalgia, Rose walked towards a set of stairs that led down to the water's edge. Once her feet touched sand and gravel, she found herself suddenly out of breath. Out of the corner of her eye she observed a nearby wooden bench, meant for sightseeing. Grateful for the chance to rest, Rose carried herself the few remaining feet and sank breathless onto the wooden planking. Rose expected to be able to catch her breath, once she'd had a chance to rest, but to her dismay her breathing continued to be quick and shallow, her heart pounding out of her chest, her mind growing fuzzy and fading. It would have been easy for Rose to panic. But instead, Rose felt a wash of relief. If her time was going to end, what better place to meet her death then the place where she finally learned to live.

Without thinking, Rose almost instinctually found herself reaching into her jacket pocket, taking hold of the bag that contained the antique pocket watch. It might have seemed silly to some, but to Rose, it seemed as if this watch, stranded in time, would be a comfort to her, a human being who would soon run out of time. Rose's hand closed around the brass timepiece to lift it from the bag but a current of energy seemed to extend through her arm, like the shock one gets, touching a metal doorknob while wearing wool socks, causing her to drop it momentarily onto the stones at her feet. Rose was intrigued. She didn't reach for it right away, but studied it as it lay on the ground. The intricate circles and shapes that were etched on its cover were faded and old, almost washed clean with the passing of time, having been passed from palm to palm, soul to soul. On the outside, it appeared as nothing more than what it seemed, an antique relic of a time long since past. She reached down and once again closed her fingers around the watch. The current remained, just as strong, powerful but not painful.

Rose's breathing was labored; the brain function needed to control her most basic bodily functions was being slowly eaten away by the mass growing inside her skull. The world around her was getting fuzzy but she managed to focus on the pocket watch with unusual clarity. With unsure and clumsy fingers, she found the watch's clasp and pushed it down. At that exact moment, the watch popped open with a crack. While it contained the customary trappings of a normal watch, it also seemed to contain a strange yellow light, a warm light that latched onto Rose with a magnificent burning. Rose felt as if she was being consumed by a great fire but she was not in any pain. Her bones, her skin, her eyes, they were embers lost in a sea of gold. She remembered this feeling only for a moment…and then the world went from gold to the deepest shade of black.

CHAPTER FOUR

When Rose awoke, she found herself lying prostrate amongst the stones and seaweed that lined the River Thames. Taking a breath in, she placed her hands on the ground and pushed, heaving herself upward until she sat on her knees, her hands resting on her thighs. It didn't take her long to realize that something felt…different. She was able to breathe more clearly, that was immediately noticeable, but apart from that, she felt clear, as if the fog that had lingered in her mind as a result of the tumor had disappeared completely. Her heart beat, strong and clear, her lungs sucked in air without pain, and her body felt energized, renewed almost. She couldn't explain it, but she couldn't complain.

As the city awakened, a dock worker noticed her sitting at the water's edge and yelled to get her attention.

"Oi! Ma'm! Ya'lright down there?" Rose raised her head, squinting in the morning sun and nodded.

"Yes…I'm fine thank you!" She froze. That was NOT her voice. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"Hello, my name is Rose Tyler." No, that definitely wasn't her voice. In a bit of a panic now, Rose quickly rose to her feet, only to experience a dizziness that knocked her down once more. The stones bit into her knees. Rose extended her hands and looked at them carefully. These were a stranger's hands. A stranger's hands, a stranger's voice…what was going on?

"Are you alright mum?" This time, an older gentleman, in his mid-50's, had come to Rose's aid. He extended his hand and Rose took it warily, unsure if the dizziness would return.

"Thank you." She offered as the man helped her to her feet. She felt a bit unsteady, but the dizziness that had catapulted her to the ground was gone…or at least fading fast.

"No problem mum. Can I get you a mini cab?" Rose looked at the man and shook her head.

"No thank you. I think I'm going to walk around a bit…clear my head. Thank you again." The man bowed his head a bit and then made his exit. Rose couldn't believe what was happening. In all her time traveling with the Doctor, she'd seen some strange things…but this was definitely new. She'd lost her face once, but never her whole self! And then she thought about the Doctor…his ability to regenerate. Surely not! She was human! It didn't make sense…why would she have changed? The watch! Rose scanned the ground around her feet until she came across the watch, open and ordinary. She shook it, opened the back, looking for some clue as why these circumstances had arisen. But all she found was a watch, plain and certainly not special.

Rose began to walk, caring little for where she ended up. She needed to think, needed to clear her head…needed to buy some new clothes. Apparently this body was a bit taller and a bit slimmer than the old Rose…and she felt like a teenager going through a growth spirit, suddenly exposed and uncoordinated. She turned herself towards the nearest row of shops, checking her pockets to make sure she had some money. Sure enough, she pulled out a few twenty pound notes that she kept in the back pocket of her jeans. Just enough to buy a pullover and a pair of trousers. Rose made her way towards the nearest shop she could find. Rose pushed open the large wooden door and the first thing to greet her was mirrors…lots and lots of mirrors. What was ordinary to most, mirrors used to showcase the shops clothing, made Rose stop in her tracks. She was looking through her eyes…at someone else entirely! She was taller, a good two or three inches at least. But what shocked her the most was her hair. It was ginger! Dark ginger! And curly! It was long and curly and…ginger! She had tried to dye her hair ginger once, when she was 13. It had turned out horribly…but now, it suited her far better than her old shaggy blonde mane would have. Come to think of it, she did have some nice curves and her face was pretty enough…for a face she'd never seen before.

Rose could have stared at her reflection all day if a shop worker hadn't approached her and asked if she needed some help. Rose, a bit flustered, grabbed the nearest shirt and trousers she could find, dashed to the register to make her purchase, then retreated into a dressing room close by. She quickly changed her clothes, sparing only a moment to ponder her reflection in the glass. Well, at least these fit a bit better, Rose thought, running her hands down her now unfamiliar frame. Taking a deep breath, Rose exited the dressing room, noticing the stares of several men who stopped flipping through pullovers to gaze, slack jawed. Rose was sure she blushed. She kept her head down as she exited the store and in usual Rose fashion, didn't watch where she was going. Head still down, she sought to get away from the public as soon as possible. She had to regroup…she had to think!

The fact that Rose's thoughts were miles away caused her to not pay attention…and before she had a chance to blink, she ran headfirst into the chest of a bloke who was walking, no, running around the corner nearest the shop.

"Ooophff" Rose let out a puff of air as they collided, nearly falling backwards onto her bum.

"I'm sorry," a voice exclaimed, reaching a hand out to catch her arm before she had a chance to tumble backwards.

"No, no, it's alrig…"

"River?!?" Rose drew back and stared at the face of the man in front of her. He was young, probably twenty-six, twenty-seven and had the most ridiculous hair she'd ever seen. He wore a bow tie, trousers that seemed a bit too short for his gangly legs, and seemed entirely out of his element. But his eyes…something about his eyes seemed so very familiar.

"Who?" Rose found herself at a loss for words. He'd just called her something…what was it? Stream? Ocean?

"River…I can't believe it…you're alive! Well, of course you're alive _now_…but it's so good to see you." Rose was suddenly captured in a tight embrace…which again felt very, very familiar.

"Who _are_ you?" Rose found herself straining against the embrace, more than a little bit uncomfortable but too weirded out to be rude. The man grinned, holding her at arm's length, looking at her up and down.

"Ah yes, I forgot. In this time and place, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm the Doctor."

CHAPTER FIVE

Rose felt as if she been punched in the stomach. This man? The Doctor? No…it couldn't be…could it?

Rose couldn't stop herself; she placed a hand on the man's chest, first on the right side, then the left. Quickly, she pulled her hand away. Two hearts…it was him! Rose, overcome, dropped like a sandbag at the Doctor's feet.

"Doctor?" A young woman with ginger hair and a cute face came jogging over, her pink trainers splashing in a nearby puddle. "Who's that? What's goin' on?"

"Amy Pond," The Doctor said, already on his knees, lifting Rose in his arms, "I'd like you to meet Dr. River Song." Amy scratched her head and placed a hand on her hip.

"So you know her then?" The Doctor grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh yes." With a heave and a puff, The Doctor carried Rose a few yards to the right, where an all too familiar blue police box stood, waiting.

"Amy," The Doctor said, placing Rose on the floor of the TARDIS, crumpling up his jacket to serve as a makeshift pillow. "Why don't you go and grab us some chips. I could really go for some chips." Amy, once again looking confused, simply shrugged her shoulders and exited the TARDIS. The Doctor placed a hand on Rose's chest, feeling for a heartbeat. Upon finding it, he placed that same hand on her cheek, giving it a little tap and at the same time, a little caress. "Time to wake up Dr. Song." Rose felt like she was resurfacing from the depths of some great ocean. Her eyes took a moment to focus and her breathing soon regulated itself. She found herself staring into those familiar eyes…and the exclamation from a moment ago came flooding back.

"Doctor?" She reached out her fingers to touch his cheek. "It can't be…you look..." she realized what had happened…"you regenerated, yeah?" The Doctor was now the one who looked a bit confused.

"Why yes, not very long ago actually. But how do you…do you know who I am?" Rose found herself grinning, the same silly grin that only moments before the Doctor himself had shown. She threw her arms around his waist, tears of joy rolling down her brand new cheeks.

"Doctor, it's me! It's Rose!" At the mention of that name, the Doctor pushed Rose back, his face no longer surprised or happy. Instead, a mixture of shock and anger blended together in his eyes.

"What are you playing at?" The Doctor insisted, shaking Rose a bit, causing her to cry in earnest.

"Doctor, really, it's me. It's such a long story but…" then Rose remembered. The watch! In haste, she reached into the pocket of her new trousers, where she'd safely placed the watch after changing clothes only moments before. "I was sick, dying. I found this watch in an Antiques shop only a few weeks ago. I don't know why but I brought it with me this morning as I went for a stroll and when I opened it…I changed…into…this." She waved her arms up and down for emphasis. The Doctor, face still stern but no longer quite as angry, took the watch from Rose and examined it. It took him only moments to recognize the definitive Time Lord etchings on the watch's cover, faded with time but still so familiar to one of his kind. This pocket watch was an exact replica of the watch he'd used so long ago, when he and Martha had tried to outwit the family of blood. But the question was, if River was telling the truth, why did it make Rose change?

"Tell me _exactly_ what happened. Don't leave out a single detail." The Doctor and Rose began to talk, Rose spilling the details of the "other" Doctor and his departure, her brain tumor, her impending death and how she happened upon the watch. The Doctor, the whole time she spoke, seemed to be analyzing her story, seeking out some evidence of lies or malice. He found none. What he did discover, as brilliant as he was, was an explanation.

"Riv…Rose," It was hard for him to call her that, given his memories of both individuals, but he continued on. "I know what happened. Ages ago, when you absorbed the heart of the TARDIS, some residual energy remained, altering your DNA ever so slightly. This watch was meant for one purpose and one purpose only…to turn a human into a Time Lord…or at least a human that was once a Time Lord. But you, with your DNA, your connection to the TARDIS, you altered the purpose of the watch. What ordinarily would have turned a human Time Lord into a Time Lord again reacted with your makeup and instead, regenerated you into…this form." Rose sat slack jawed.

"I…regenerated? What…like…like you?" The Doctor nodded.

"Yep…just…like…me." Rose frowned.

"This River…what did you call me…River Song? You've met her before I take it?" Now the Doctor frowned.

"Yes. "

"What happened." At this phrase, the Doctor smiled, just a bit.

" I can't tell you. It'll spoil the ending." Rose smiled in return.

"Ah yes…spoilers. I hate those." The Doctor helped Rose to stand and they both stood, nose to nose, alone in the TARDIS. The Doctor looked deeply into Rose's eyes, searching for something, some spark of who she used to be.

"Well, if it really is you Rose, I'll have to get used to this new look." Rose punched him in the arm.

"You're one to talk! You look like a twenty six year old Oxford graduate ! What's with the bow tie? Are you a boffin? Course you always were a bit of a boffin weren't you?" The Doctor smiled. He reached out both arms and pulled Rose into a hug of epic proportions.

"Oh Rose." Rose grinned, new tears brimming her eyes, and she reciprocated the Doctor's embrace, content to hold and be held.

"You know, you can call me Rose in the TARDIS but, I don't really look like Rose anymore. What was the name you gave me earlier…River…what?" The Doctor pulled back and looked in her eyes, smiling.

"Song…Dr. River Song."

"Ohhhh.. Doctor River Song. Where did the Doctor part come from? As far as I know I didn't even pass my A levels." At this, the Doctor grinned even wider.

"We'll discuss that part later…when we can truly be alone." Rose smiled and resumed her place on the Doctor's chest. At that point, young Amy reentered the TARDIS, pushing the door open with her foot, three paper-wrapped bundles of fish and chips in either hand and underneath her chin.

"I thought Dr. Song might be hungry, if she ever woke up, so I got three fish n' chips…just in case."

She saw that Rose and the Doctor were hugging, although at her entrance they had separated a bit. "Oh, hello there. Here you are." She handed one bundle to Rose, who took it with an awkward smile. The other bundle she handed to the Doctor.

"Ah yes…I do love chips." The Doctor took a few rather large chips and stuffed them wholeheartedly into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out as they were filled to overflowing. Rose found herself grinning and daintily took a nibble off the end of one of her own chips, relishing in the Doctor's sense of humor. Amy stood watching, a bit gobsmacked at the Doctor's horrible table manners, her own chips growing cold in her left hand.

"I don't think London is going to run out of chips Doctor," she said, raising an eyebrow and frowning at him. The Doctor smiled as he forcefully swallowed the last bite.

"Well, actually, "the Doctor began, waving a chip in the air for emphasis, " in the year 3085…" Amy and Rose looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"_Doctor_!" The Doctor shrugged and continued consuming his chips. Amy sat herself on the TARDIS' cushions and silently went on eating her meal. The Doctor, however, while still shoveling food down his throat at lightning speed, couldn't keep his eyes off of Rose. Rose felt a bit embarrassed and she was sure her cheeks turned several shades of red. This may be the Doctor, after all, but here he was, again, in the form of a different man. She'd have to get to know him all over again…at least the outside of him. Gone was the brown hair sticking out in all directions, the tweed suit, the trainers, the quirky smile. Instead, here was this…boy! The same feelings, the same emotions, the same memories, the same almost god-like sense of immortality, all resided in this new body. Could she love the new shell if all that made the Doctor who he was still resided within? Then Rose caught a glimpse of her new self in a shiny piece of metal and she realized she'd answered her own question. If the Doctor could find meaning in their relationship after she had changed _her _appearance, she could surely do the same for him.

"Well, I think it's time we were off and running." The Doctor crumpled up his trash and tossed it into a nearby bin. The TARDIS even has bins, thought Rose, as she echoed his actions, even though more than half her own fish and chips remained.

"Didn't we come here to save someone?" Amy asked, still eating. "You said you got some sort of message…on the psychiatric paper." Rose put a hand to her mouth and tried to keep from giggling.

"That's psychic paper Amy," The Doctor replied, looking at Rose and raising one eyebrow in reprimand, "and I think that's all taken care of now. Time to go." Now it was Rose's turn to be confused.

"So who was it this time Doctor?" She asked, leaning back against the metal railing.

"You," The Doctor replied, eyes never leaving the TARDIS console. Rose was a bit shaken by this. So much had happened and to learn that the Doctor's presence in this alternate reality was because of her…was a bit much to bear.

"You know, I never asked. How did you get here? I thought this reality was closed off?" At this question the Doctor stopped fiddling with the controls and walked towards Rose. He got close, so close in fact that Rose almost didn't know what to do. The Doctor had never been this close to her…on purpose anyway…and the fact both thrilled and frightened her. The Doctor looked deep in Rose's eyes, as if searching for something.

"You brought me back Rose, " he began, raising a hand to touch her arm softly, "Not only did the residual power from the heart of the TARDIS regenerate you…but it sent out a signal to the TARDIS itself; a powerful signal..so powerful in fact that the TARDIS defied her own limitations to bring me here. Perhaps she was looking for that piece of herself that you still possess. But whatever the reason, you are the sole reason I'm here."

"What a sec," Amy shouted, jumping to her feet, chips falling to the floor, "You're Rose? You're _the_ Rose? The Rose this bloke hasn't stopped talking about since I agreed to be his…traveling buddy?" Rose stared at Amy, amazed that someone this petite and seemingly soft-natured could make such a racket.

"Guilty, I'm afraid, "Rose answered, hiding a bit behind the Doctor's shoulder. She wasn't sure if Amy was happy at the realization or jealous of the Doctor's affections towards her.

"That's brilliant!" Amy roared, rushing forward and enveloping Rose in one of the tightest embraces she'd ever felt, even from her mum…and the Doctor. Rose wasn't sure what to do as both her hands were pinned to her sides. She merely smiled and tried not to get claustrophobic.

"Ah yes, well, as I said, time we were off." The Doctor cleared his throat, pushed and pulled a few buttons and levers and sure enough, the TARDIS was soon in flight.

"So…" Rose stated, once she was free of Amy's grasp. The girl still hung close by, her eyes almost mooning over Rose. "Where to next Doctor?"

"I know just the place." Rose raised an eyebrow at his cryptic reply but soon let the moment go without reply. For the moment…all was right with the world, ginger hair or no ginger hair.

CHAPTER SIX

As Rose opened the door to the TARDIS, the first thing she smelled was the pungent, sweet aroma of apple grass. With a grin, she hopped out, tempted to do a cartwheel. She had been so happy here…how did the Doctor know this was one of her favorite places? Behind her, the Doctor and Amy where talking in hushed tones but she could care less. With that first rush of scent a million memories flooded her mind, memories of laughter, of tears, of a love she never thought she'd feel. Rose was overcome. Tears came, unbidden, and she knelt gently, clearing a place for herself among the blades of grass, reaching down to break off a few stems to twirl between her fingers.

She didn't hear the Doctor come up behind her but she felt his presence as he sat, close, beside her, his arm moving to rest comfortably around her shoulders.

"Where's that Amy girl then?" Rose asked, doing her best to hide her recent tears with a quick swipe of her fingers underneath her eyes. The Doctor sniffed and looked straight ahead.

"I told her that I needed a moment…alone…with you. She seemed all too happy to comply." Rose offered a half smile but leaned into the Doctor's embrace, her head falling to rest on his shoulder.

"We've come full circle…haven't we?" She asked, now relishing the scent of his skin, a scent that, even with this new regeneration, hadn't seemed to change. She closed her eyes and breathed it in. The Doctor smiled and chuckled; a deep rumble vibrating in his chest.

"Full circle…yes. You've come such a _very_ long way Rose."

"I never thought…I never expected to see you again." Rose lifted her head from the Doctor's shoulder and looked up at his face. His eyes were still staring out across the water, distant.

"Nor I." He replied, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Rose suddenly felt embarrassed and quickly disentangled herself from the Doctor's arm. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and leaning down to rest her chin. She was suddenly very cold.

"Are you disappointed? I mean…I'm different and everything. I'm not the same person you knew." At this the Doctor chuckled again and finally, turned to look into Rose's face.

"I'd be one stuck up prod if I judged you for changing your appearance when I do it all the time." He gave her arm a soft squeeze with his hand." And what about you Rose?" he asked, still holding her gaze, "Don't you feel the same way. After all, I'm not the same bloke you left on that beach so many years ago." At this, Rose reached out her hand and cupped the Doctor's cheek, her thumb rubbing lightly against his skin.

"Yes…you are." She replied, moving her hand to the Doctor's chest, the twin rhythm echoing against her palm. The Doctor's right hand reached up and grabbed that hand, holding it to his chest tightly.

"Rose," The Doctor began, his eyes piercing, "I've lived for almost a millennium, met and traveled with so many different types of people and yet, so very unwilling to let myself become…attached. But," he said with a wry half smile, "sometimes it can't be helped." His eyes grew a bit brighter as he hinted at their attachment, but soon they grew dark once again. "The pain of having to say good-bye, well, it makes me feel far too human. I don't…didn't… want to feel human." Suddenly, his furrowed brows softened. " And yet, I couldn't help but admire your race. You're plucky, Rose…and brave and courageous and intuitive and capable of so much trust, so much love. A part of me envied you and your humanity." At this, the Doctor turned his eyes away, once again staring out across the inlet, the waves hypnotizing as he opened his mouth to speak.

"But you, Rose, you were somehow…different. Each of the people I've traveled with over the years have had some spark of life, some variation that made them unique but you…you were, are, so very special. Perhaps I'm just getting old; perhaps after spending so much time with the human race I've inevitably become more like them." The Doctor stood suddenly and walked a few feet from Rose. "Rose," he began his voice so soft that Rose had to lean in to hear. "The truth is…despite all my personal codes and ethics and everything, I don't know what to do about you." At this, Rose stood. Something told her that the reason for his comment went deeper then she realized. Rose stood behind the Doctor, her hand reaching out to touch him but stopping midway, gently finding its way back to her side.

"I can leave, if you want. It's okay." Rose felt the words slip from between her lips and a sadness washed over her, an inexplicably cold fear draining slowly into the small of her back. At this question, the Doctor turned, his eyes hard, his body rigid.

"No!" he exclaimed, grabbing hold of Rose's arms. "You can't. Never again." Rose raised one of her eyebrows and the Doctor released his grip. "Rose, I've lost you twice…twice! And now, here you are again and not just you but this new you, in this new body, in a body I've already met!" At this ,Rose interrupted.

"What do you mean you've already met me like this?" The Doctor smiled.

"When I was traveling with Donna, before you came back to me, before the Daleks tried to take over the world, again, I met you…in a great library of all places. Your name then was River Song and you knew things about me Rose, things I couldn't tell a single soul unless…" his voice trailed off. "Anyway, now you're here, like this, and that means only one thing."

"What does it mean Doctor?" The Doctor reached out and pulled Rose close to him. She'd been in his embrace before but this one felt…different, more intimate. "Doctor?" Rose wasn't one to complain, especially when it came to being in such close proximity to the man she loved, but something about this made her uneasy. It wasn't like the Doctor to be so personal.

"Rose, I don't know what's going to happen and it's marvelous! But I do know that regardless of the schemes of time itself, you and I were meant to be together. After all, I'm an old man now. I deserve a bit of happiness, don't you think?" Rose smiled and hugged the Doctor a bit tighter.

"So," Rose said, separating herself from the Doctor's embrace but smiling as he grabbed her hand. "Can we stay here a while or do we have to be off?"

"We can stay…for a bit. But I've got this message on the psychic paper…" Rose let her head fall back as she burst out laughing. The Doctor grinned, his teeth glistening in the sunlight, then began to laugh himself.

"Alright, alright, let's go…but before we go off into time and space, you'll have to tell me more about this name, this River Song. I mean, I know I can't go by Rose anymore, especially if you've already met me as someone else. Where did I come up with the name River Song anyway? Seems a bit odd to me."

CHAPTER SEVEN

The trip to the Doctor's next destination was truly ebullient. Rose and Amy got on swimmingly and the Doctor seemed happier then Rose had ever seen him. When Rose finally felt the familiar tremors of the TARDIS coming to a stop, she felt lighter and more contented then she had in ages.

"Alright! Eeeverybody out!! Allons-y!" Amy rolled her eyes and Rose laughed aloud. The Doctor raised an eyebrow as if to say "what are you laughing at" and this caused Rose to laugh all the harder. When the trio finally emerged from the big blue box, the view forced the two female companions into silence. It was unbelievably breathtaking. The ground on which they stood was silver; solid stone earth in reds, browns and purples littered with hair-like strands of sparkling silver threads. The grass, or what looked like grass, was bright red, extended and undulating, exhibiting similar sparkling characteristics. There was no other vegetation save one tree, huge and ancient, its silver leaves rippling in an unseen wind. Above them, two suns, one brilliant like a polished copper penny, the other dazzling white and shining; and Rose heard, in the deepest recesses of her mind, the softest echo of a choir's song. She assumed it was the whistling of the wind.

Rose turned and saw that the "planet" on which they stood was no more than a chunk of earth a few hundred meters in length. They were on an island; an island in space. And what distressed her further was the ominous black circle in the sky, surrounded by rock and gas, swirling inwardly at an astonishing rate.

"Doctor, is that what I think it is?" The Doctor smiled and locked eyes with Rose.

"Yes. It's a black hole. We haven't got much time…but I wanted you to see." Rose felt herself tremble. Her last experience with a black hole, on the planet Krop Tor still brought her nightmares now and again.

"Did you say black hole?!?" Amy's eyes were wide and Rose saw the fear that threatened to spill over into panic at any moment.

"Yeah, well, we've seen it so…can we get going now please?" The Doctor put an arm around Rose's shoulder. He pointed at the black hole.

"_That_," he said with a chuckle, "is not what I wanted you to see. Where we're standing, this is what I wanted you to see. I found it a few years ago, quite by accident, I was feeling nostalgic, but now it's one of my favorite places. Rose…Amy…this is Gallifrey…or at least what's left of it." Rose stood in silence. Amy apparently felt the same way, although the silly way that her mouth made a perfect "o" made Rose want to giggle.

"Uh, Doctor, I thought you said that Gallifrey was time locked. I thought you weren't able to travel there in the TARDIS." All the fear about the black hole left Rose; she felt genuinely curious and that curiosity superseded any previous fear. Amy, however, was having none of it.

"Doctor, can we leave, please. I can't…I can't breathe…" The Doctor took his eyes off of Rose and took note of Amy's discontent.

"Yeah, sure, let's go." The Doctor seemed genuinely disappointed but he tended to Amy as soon as they regrouped in the TARDIS. Rose watched from afar as the Doctor carefully placed Amy in the leather seat opposite the console, placed his fingers on either side of Amy's forehead, and closed his eyes. Amy's anxiety seemed to melt away as she went limp on the cushions, her body fading into slumber. Then the Doctor turned and approached Rose.

"You were saying…the TARDIS…I thought Gallifrey was off limits." Rose's eyes found the Doctor's as he came to stop just a few feet from where she stood.

"Gallifrey is time locked, or at least, the Gallifrey I knew. What I showed you was the Gallifrey of the future. Our people were destroyed in the time war but our planet lived on, uninhabited; a lifeless rock. Time ravaged it, as it always does, and when the nearby sun of Ugnis exploded, turning into the black hole you saw just a moment ago, with no Time lords to stop it, the planet just began to break apart, rushing into the black mouth of Vergetelheid, as it's come to be known." Rose was silent for moment, contemplating.

"Well, it was beautiful…for what it's worth. It was beautiful." Rose said, staring absentmindedly at the TARDIS console, leaning casually against the railing. The Doctor smiled, joining her.

"I knew you'd think so. I wanted you to see. You're the only one who could see, the only one I could take to see…" Rose smiled.

"What about Amy then? She 'saw' as well didn't she?" The Doctor chuckled.

"Yeah, well, not anymore she hasn't." Rose thought back, remembered the Doctor's fingers on Amy's forehead and got the message.

"Thank you…for thinking of me. But if you don't mind my asking…_why _did you want me to see? Was there a reason…other than the fact that it was in fact quite gorgeous?" The Doctor moved to stand in front of Rose and softly, took both her hands in his own.

"I wanted you to see, Rose Tyler…"

"River Song, remember?"

"Rose Tyler, River Song, whatever your name is or was or will be…I wanted you to see because only after you've seen could I ask you one very important question." Rose felt her heart begin to flutter; she was sure her cheeks were becoming crimson but she kept herself together, curiosity holding her tongue. "Rose Tyler…you know me better than anyone has in such a very long time. You transformed me from a man with a vengeance to a man with a soul. If it weren't for you, well, I wouldn't be me." Rose smiled, pulled one hand from the Doctor's grip and reached up to gently touch his cheek. It felt different; the sideburns were different, the stubble on his skin felt different, but there was something so familiar about the heat of his skin, the rhythm of his duel hearts beating just underneath her fingertips.

"My pleasure Doctor." Rose heard her voice break and her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. She wasn't used to seeing the Doctor this…emotional. Of course, she'd dreamed about the Doctor being all emotional but somehow, seeing him like this unsettled her in a way she never expected. The Doctor smiled and moved one step closer to Rose.

"Rose…my Rose." I've lost you twice and I'll be honest, I never recovered. So much was left unsaid, so much lost in time and space. Even a Time lord as old as I am can make mistakes." Rose lifted an eyebrow and let out a puff of air, a single laugh. The Doctor grinned. "Alright, alright, I admit, I'm fallible. But I can learn; even someone as stubborn and tenacious as I can be taught." The Doctor turned and reached over towards the TARDIS console and pocketed something that Rose couldn't see. Rose was still too shaken to speak but her eyes were open.

"I may be a bit presumptuous Rose, but so many years ago, on a frozen beach with the wind blowing through your hair, you told me that you loved me. Do you still feel the same?" Rose felt her stomach drop, much like riding a roller coaster. All color left her face and the room began to sway. Was she really hearing this? She cleared her throat, her hand gripping the cold metal of the TARDIS until her knuckles turned white.

"Doctor, "she began, her voice terribly unsteady, the words barely a whisper. "What I said to you on that beach an eternity ago...has never changed, will never change…could never change." The Doctor was smiling, but the smile had gone from an all out grin to a gentle closed-lip upturning of his lips.

"Then stay with me." Rose was confused and the Doctor could see it welling up in her eyes.

"But, I wasn't going to.."

"Stay with me forever…as my wife." Rose felt the room spin and then, with little pomp or circumstance, she felt the world go dark.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Rose awoke to the Doctor's concerned face inches from her own. Her head was supported by his left arm and his right hand was smoothing back her newly acquired red curls from her face.

"Rose, are you alright?" Rose still felt a bit dizzy but she took a deep breath and the feeling passed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I must have been dreaming though….I thought you asked me to marry you." The Doctor didn't smile. Instead, he smoothed the back of his hand over Rose's cheek.

"That wasn't a dream." Rose didn't know what to say. Now that the initial shock had passed, her first impulse was to throw her arms around the Doctor…and that's just what she did. She nuzzled her face close to his chest where the lullaby of his twin Time lord hearts could soothe the pounding of her single human one.

"Doctor…yes…of course…of course, yes!" Tears sprang to her eyes and she couldn't help but cry. So many long years of waiting, of wanting, of disappointment, anger, fear and regret; to finally be given the one thing her heart desired was almost too much for Rose to bear. "But, how do we…"

"Ah, yes, well…" The Doctor stood and pulled Rose to her feet. She was a bit wobbly but the Doctor kept a hand on her upper arm to support her until she felt the ground steady itself under her feet. "I was getting to that when you, um, decided to take a bit of a nap." Rose rolled her eyes but couldn't keep from grinning. From his pocket, the Doctor pulled a sonic screwdriver. "Here, take this and press that button…there." He pointed to a button the underside of the screwdriver and when Rose's finger pressed down, the light at the end glowed red and strong. From his other pocket the Doctor withdrew his own sonic screwdriver and repeated the motion. The steady blue light beamed brightly. Rose felt the TARDIS begin to shake.

"So is there a ritual or a chant…do we need a vicar or something like that?" The Doctor shook his head.

"We've got the TARDIS. No greater power in this universe…except of course…the human spirit." Rose beamed. "Now, when I say so, press that button and point your screwdriver straight at me. I'll do the same. And Rose…" Rose lifted her head from where she'd been staring at the screwdriver and caught the Doctor's gaze. "Hold on tight." Rose was about to ask him what he meant but his voice suddenly rang out clear and strong. The TARDIS began to shake even more violently. "Rose…now!"

Rose lifted her sonic screwdriver, pressing the button down with her index finger, and pointed it straight at the Doctor. He pointed his screwdriver in her direction and when the beams met, Rose felt the TARDIS jolt like never before. As she struggled to keep her balance, she saw the Doctor enveloped in a bright red light. His eyes were open but instead of soft brown, all she saw was this outpouring of red illumination, beaming in every direction; and not just from his eyes but from his fingers, his mouth, everywhere. His body was levitating just inches off the ground, his arms outstretched. Rose was about to cry out when a strange tingling started to spread just under her skin. She opened her mouth to scream when she felt herself lifted upwards and then, all she saw was bright blue luminosity. Suddenly, a voice began to speak inside her head; a deep booming voice, authoritative and mesmerizing.

"Rose Tyler." Rose felt her mind respond.

"Yes?"

"The Doctor has chosen you from amongst the stars to live with him for as long as your life allows. This is not a pact to be taken lightly. Forfeiting such a vow is punishable by death. Decide now, do you wish to proceed?" Rose felt herself swallow…but her resolve was adamant.

"I do."

"Then it is done. Travel well and live free. Time lord eyes will be watching." As quickly as Rose had been possessed by the light, just as quickly she found herself on all fours, taking in deep gulps of air.

"What…was…that?!?" Rose found her breathes coming in short bursts, her lungs aching to take in oxygen. The Doctor was in a similar state only a few feet away. Suddenly she heard him laughing.

"Oi! What's so…funny?" She said between inhalations. The Doctor was soon on his feet and offering her a hand. Pulling herself up, she tried to look annoyed, but as the Doctor placed his arms softly around her waist, she had a hard time pulling off the look.

"That, my darling, was a time lord marriage ceremony." Rose blinked.

"What…no dress? No bouquet? No cake?" She smiled. "No free bar?" The Doctor laughed loudly.

"Well you did have the sonic screwdriver which…I must tell you, is now tied to your specific genetic structure. But if its cake you want, I could take you to visit Marie Antoinette. She had a fondness for cake…among other things." Rose put a hand to her neck.

"No thanks, I'd like to keep my head right where it belongs…on my shoulders." The Doctor smiled.

"Well, how about flowers then. Holland? All the tulips you'd ever wish to see."

"I don't like tulips. What about roses?"

"Roses it is. There's this nice little flower shop in Trafalgar Square circa…oh..um..1825 I believe. Yes that seems about right. Lovely roses."

"So…Doctor?"

"Yes Rose."

"We're…married? You and I are…a couple?" The Doctor took Rose's face in between his hands and lightly stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

"We are indeed…and you don't have to call me 'the Doctor' anymore…not if you don't want to."

"You mean…you have an actual name?" Again the Doctor grinned. With a mischievous look in his eye, he leaned close to Rose's ear and whispered. Rose smiled."Really?" she said once he's pulled away. The Doctor nodded. "hmmm…I think I'll stick with the Doctor."

"Suit yourself," he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek then loosening his grip on her waist. "Shall we be off?" Rose grabbed the Doctor's lapels and pulled him close, their lips meeting in a kiss that could have melted the TARDIS' temporal energy core.

"There," she said, once they'd both had a chance to catch their breaths. "We can be off now. Where exactly are we headed?"

"I know this great little planet…perfect spot for a honeymoon." Rose offered the Doctor a seductive smile. "Post haste I believe."

"Did someone say honeymoon?" Amy, finally free of her Doctor-induced coma sat up slowly from her leather cushion.

"Did you say honeymoon?" Rose said, winking at the Doctor, a mischievous grin plastered on her face. The Doctor beamed.

"No, no…I said…I said…" The Doctor fumbled for an explanation, evoking a giggle from Rose.

"You hit your head Amy," Rose said, once she'd caught her breath. "You took quite a fall; tripped coming into the TARDIS. The Doctor tried to wake you but you must have hit your head harder than we thought. You must have been dreaming." Amy looked confused, which caused Rose to smile once more, although she tried desperately to look concerned. "Doctor, do you have anything for Amy's head?" Rose raised an eyebrow and the Doctor instantly caught on.

"Ah yes." He dashed past Rose, into a corridor just off of the console room and returned just as quickly with a strange gel-filled packet. "Instant ice, from the planet of Frigium. Just squish it around in your hands a bit and it will instantly get cold. Hold that to your head for a bit and stay still. Rose." The Doctor took Rose's arm. "Can I speak to you in the back for a moment?" Rose looked a bit confused at first but as the Doctor offered a quick wink and a smile, she soon got the message.

"Yes, of course. Amy, lie still and hold that pack to your head. We'll be back in a moment." Amy looked woozy but did as she was told. The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and dashed off towards the rear of the TARDIS. When they entered Rose's old bedchamber, Rose knew that her intuition had been spot on. Even before the door was closed, the Doctor had enveloped Rose in his arms, his lips passionate and warm on her own, his hands searching as they roamed over her body.

"My Rose," he said as he began to kiss her neck.

"My Doctor," Rose replied, her hands threading themselves through his hair.

And in the moments that followed, the TARDIS purred with a contentment she hadn't felt in years as two lovers finally found their way home.


End file.
